You would think that, arguably, the best player in the world
would be loved in his home country of Argentina, but this isn’t the case.

Lionel Messi
is one of the most adored players in the world today. He has won the Ballon d’Or
for four consecutive years, he has helped Barcelona become a winning machine,
with complete domination in the domestic Spanish league. He has helped them win
the Champions League, earning him a $20 million dollar annually until 2018
according to Forbes magazine. He has Europe at his feet and most of the
footballing world. I say most, since Argentina is not convinced.

We can look
at several factors as the main causes for such a divide when it comes to
Argentinians and Messi. Why is he not as loved at home as he is abroad?

Several
football experts look at the fact that he left Argentina at the age of 12 to
move to Spain and play for Barcelona. He has never played in the domestic
league and therefore has not cultivated his roots within his own country. In
other words, he isn’t Argentinian enough.

He left his
country at a young age, doesn’t really have his roots in Argentina, since he
has made his entire professional career and has lived the majority of his life
in Spain. When you combine that with the fact that is yet to perform for
Argentina as he has done for Barcelona, it leaves Argentinians with a sour
taste in their mouths.

2006 & 2010 World Cup

Messi played
his first World Cup in 2006 in Germany. He was too young to have a real impact
in his first go. He was used more as a bench player and coming from an injury
he wasn’t 100% to really be the impactful player we knew he could be. He didn’t
play the quarter final match against Germany, which they would end up losing
4-2 on penalties.

Four years
later in 2010 World Cup in South Africa, he was already a legend in the footballing
world. This was his World Cup. Diego Maradona was the coach and Messi in his
prime, everyone had all the chips in on Argentina, but yet, this wasn’t to be.
Argentina lost to Germany in the quarter finals for a heavy 4-0 result. Once
again Messi, failed to deliver in the big stage for his native land. This had
his critics once again voicing their displeasure with the Argentinian star.

2014 World
Cup

This year, I
am not sure the expectations on him are as high. At least not from a fans
perspective, from his perspective I believe the pressure to succeed has never
been this high. A World Cup trophy is all that he is missing; he has pretty
much won everything else.

2014 won’t
be his last World Cup, but at 26 years old, this will probably be his best
chance at winning one. In a group with Bosnia Herzegovina, Nigeria and Iran,
nobody is expecting Argentina to finish anywhere but first. If Messi is able to
play injury free and at the level he has accustomed us, we should see them
going deep into the tournament and even a final. I am sure Messi is well aware
of this situation.

Health
Concerns

Messi has
been filmed and photographed vomiting during matches with both Argentina and
Barcelona. The latest incident happened during Argentina’s last warm-up game
leading into the World Cup. He came in as a second half sub and minutes later
he was bending over and vomiting on the field.

Alejandro
Sabella, his national team coach, has blamed this on nerves. You would think a
player of his ability and with the experience he has at both club and country,
would not be vomiting due to nerves. Considering this was a friendly, it makes
you wonder even more on how realistic this assessment is.

Having said
that we all know the pressure he is under at this World Cup. His legacy while
not in danger could be tarnish if he manages to finish his career without ever
winning a World Cup with Argentina.

I believe
Argentina fans believe they can win the tournament, what I don’t think they
believe in is how much can Messi help them do it.